Justin Arana Activated for Gilas Pilipinas Clash vs Iran

Justin Arana will finally wear Gilas Pilipinas colors after being activated for Sunday’s clash with Iran in the fourth window of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Converge big man steps in for Carl Tamayo, who hurt his ankle during Gilas’ nail-biting 82-81 win over Jordan in the window opener. Tamayo’s injury opened the door; Arana’s long-awaited chance is now.

It will be Arana’s first official game for the national team, a significant milestone after he was initially called up before Gilas began its preparations for this window. This time, he’s not just training. He’s in uniform, part of the rotation, and thrown straight into a high-stakes assignment.

Gilas’ frontline suddenly looks even more imposing. Arana joins Kai Sotto, June Mar Fajardo and AJ Edu in a stacked interior group, with Justine Baltazar and Troy Rosario adding length, mobility and fouls to give. Paint touches, rim protection, rebounding battles—there will be no shortage of size in blue and white.

On the wings, Kevin Quiambao, Dwight Ramos and Chris Newsome bring a mix of shooting, playmaking and perimeter defense, the kind of versatility that has become the backbone of the program’s recent runs. Scottie Thompson, CJ Perez and Juan Gomez de Liaño will steer the backcourt, tasked with setting the tempo and keeping turnovers in check against an Iranian side that loves to pounce on mistakes.

Iran arrives wounded but dangerous after a stinging 93-91 defeat to New Zealand in its first game of the window. A team with that pedigree rarely drops two in a row without a fight.

For Arana, it’s a debut. For Gilas, it’s a test of depth. For Iran, it’s a shot at redemption. All of it plays out on Sunday night under the Mall of Asia Arena lights.